Scherzinger was Francis' mentor. "Listen, Nicole isn't a bad person but I don't think she was ever committed enough," Francis tells me exclusively. "She didn't have her head in the game."

Francis said Scherzinger was MIA more than she should have been. When she was there, Francis said, she felt Scherzinger's ego could get in the way. "At one point, she banned Simon from my rehearsals," Francis claims. "He wanted to help and he knew what he was doing. It became about Nicole's ego instead of me winning the $5 million."

As I first told you yesterday, Scherzinger wants to spend more time focusing on her music career. Whether she quit or she was fired, it seems like she's wanted off the show for awhile now in order to perform and finally release her much-delayed next album. She kicks off a European tour next month.

Scherzinger's rep did not comment.

Abdul, on the other hand, gave it her all, Francis said. "She was there six days a week," she said. "She gave her time and her commitment."

The former American Idol judge was a much needed mother figure, who was "loving and caring. X Factor is tough. It's a tough show to be on," Francis said.

Francis didn't have much to offer on Steve Jones because the contestants "didn't really have a relationship" with him. "He's cute and sweet, but we didn't have a bond or connection," she said.

Cowell's plans for season two remain a mystery. It's been assumed L.A. Reid is still on board.

If Mariah Carey joins the fray (her name has been thrown around since Cowell first announced he was bringing the singing completion show to the U.S.), she better get in touch with her tougher side. Francis said, "It takes someone who is hard core, who can feel strong against Simon and L.A. and stand up for themselves and not be chewed up."

Now we want to hear from you. Who do you think would be a good judge on X Factor? Sound off below.